Three rescuers died off France’s western coastline on Friday after their boat capsized during Storm Miguel, Euronews reports.
The vessel was dispatched to help a fishing boat trying to reach Sables d’Olonne port, north-west of La Rochelle.
La #SNSM est en deuil suite au décès de 3 de ses sauveteurs bénévoles lors d'une intervention en pleine tempête aux #SablesDOlonne. "Cette disparition tragique provoque une immense émotion dans la famille des #SauveteursenMer" – Xavier de la Gorce, président de la SNSM. pic.twitter.com/czbc3EsGX0
— SNSM (@SauveteursenMer) June 7, 2019
“These tragic deaths provoke an immense emotion in the family of rescuers at sea and reminds us of the risks our volunteers take every day to rescue people in difficulty at sea,” said Xavier de la Gorce, president of France’s national society for rescue at sea SNSM said in a statement.
The three who died were volunteers, added SNSM. Four other rescuers were taken to hospital for “observation overnight”.
The region was put on high alert for Storm Miguel, which was forecast to bring winds of up to 120 kilometre-an-hour.